Descent
by MandyMyfanwy
Summary: A member of the Order has his courage tested. (incomplete - currently planned to have five chapters)
1. Peter and James

His wand at his side, ready in case of an attack, Peter carefully looked around the corner, scanning the alley beyond for any sign of unwanted visitors. "Everything looks clear."

Looking over his shoulder, James nodded. "Agreed." He stepped into the alley, checking around again, then knocked on a section of the stone wall apparently identical to any other part of the wall. If he'd knocked anywhere else, however, it wouldn't have slid open to reveal an entryway.

A figure stepped out, in a heavy black cloak. "Are we ready?" She looked around apprehensively. "Is it safe?"

Stepping forward with his best attempt at a charming and reassuring smile, Peter said, "Perfectly safe, my dear Arabella. We'll get you there safe and sound."

James rolled his eyes, "Really, Wormtail?" He sighed, stepping back towards the entrance to the alley. "Can we move along? I don't really feel like waiting about in this damp all day."

"Sorry." He looked up at the clear skies. "I just wish we could have borrowed Sirius's bike, that would have made this so much easier."

James laughed. "Yeah, because if there's anything that Padfoot's giant metal contraption is good for, it's making subtle and quiet entrances. I mean, have you seen the place we're going? Muggle central, and not the fun kind, either."

"Well... I suppose you're right."

"Besides, even with the sidecar it's not exactly roomy, now is it? Were you planning on sitting in my lap, or..." James grinned at his friend.

"Maybe I'll wait inside while you two work this out..." Mrs Figg gripped her large handbag tighter and edged back towards the hidden entrance that she'd just emerged from.

With a shake of his head, Peter stepped forward and held out his hand to her. "I'm afraid we've got to be getting on. We've got a Muggle car to get us there, Dumbledore thought it was the quietest way to get you to Surrey, least likely to get any attention."

She sighed, stepping forward but not taking the proffered hand. "And we'll be bringing my cats, yes?"

Peter withdrew his hand with an embarrassed cough, and James shook his head. "Not today. We'll be bringing them over tomorrow, don't want to make things too complicated all at once."

"Besides," added Peter, trying to be positive, "We want to make sure everything's ready at the new house before we bring them."

Leading the way out of the alley, James stepped up to a rather beaten-up looking car. Peter looked around in case of any unwanted surprises, then opened the door for Arabella, doing his best to seem gallant and gentlemanly as James climbed into the driver's seat.

Just after Peter climbed in after Arabella, James went to start the car.

 **BANG!**

Peter pushed Arabella down. At least behind the back of the seat, she'd have a measure of protection. He peered out of the back window, trying to find where the attack had come from. He edged closer to the door, wand at the ready.

Nobody there.

"Relax, Wormtail." James laughed, peering at him through the rear view mirror.

Peter didn't turn to look at him. "But someone's tried to attack!"

The engine revved, and there was another loud **BANG**. "It's just the car. Padfood said these Muggle things do that occasionally, I think he called it a back-fire."

Peter blinked.

He sank down into the seat, hand shaking slightly. "So, it wasn't someone trying to blast us?" He looked over at Arabella, then sheepishly helped her up again. "Sorry, I thought it was Death Eaters or something."

She smiled at him comfortingly. "Well, better to be prepared in case they do try something, I suppose."

The car pulled away into the street, letting off another couple of loud bangs as it went. Peter twitched every time it happened, much to James's amusement.

As they drove, Peter seemed to gradually relax somewhat, as it became more apparent that they weren't actively being pursued by anyone, at least for the moment. The ride was in almost silence, though, with James having to concentrate on operating the complicated Muggle contraption, Peter keeping a keen, almost paranoid watch out for any signs of trouble, and Arabella sitting quietly, keeping to herself, not having much to say to either of them when they seemed so occupied.

After half an hour or so, the traffic and buildings started to thin, and they seemed to be getting into the countryside. The potential threats to track now reduced, Peter turned to James. "Are we nearly there yet, Prongs? I've had quite enough of being cooped up in here."

"So impatient, Wormtail..."

"I mean, I don't see why we couldn't just escort her there by Floo or something, if we wanted to be subtle."

"Firstly, we'd have to get this new house connected up to the Floo network." James glanced at him in the rear view mirror, and counted his points off on the fingers of one hand while he drove with the other. "Secondly, we'd need to keep it from being noticed by anyone. We're trying to make this place look normal to _everyone_ , wizards as well as Muggles." He paused, for effect. "Thirdly, shut up."

Arabella smiled at Peter, patting him comfortingly on the arm. "It's alright, dear, I'm sure we'll be there soon enough. Besides, I never did care for travelling by Floo powder, it makes me cough ever so terribly."

The car began to slow, as James peered around them, frowning. The road was starting to get narrower, and a bit rougher. "Hey Wormtail, did you remember to bring a map, at all?"

Peter blinked, then shook his head. "No, I thought you knew where we were going!"

"Oh, I do know where we're going." The car juddered to a halt, and the engine stalled.

Peter sat back in his seat, watching James. "Well then."

"I just don't know where we _are_."

"Honestly." Arabella sighed, shaking her head. She started to dig through her voluminous handbag. "Would it be quicker if we got out and walked?" After a brief rummage, she pulled out a rather crumpled paper map, and handed it forward to James.

There was a brief struggle as James tried to unfold the map, but eventually he was victorious. He pulled out his wand, and started to poke at the map, muttering under his breath.

Nothing happened.

"I think your map's broken."

Shaking her head, Arabella pushed James's wand away, "No it isn't, it's just that it's a Muggle map, not a magical one. You need to actually look at it to use it."

Peter groaned, and leant forward to try to help find where they were. "I wish we were back at Hogwarts, where maps work properly."

It took them a few minutes to decipher the map and find where they were. It might have been quicker, except for the fact that the discussion briefly turned into a debate on the definition of 'north'. After a rather clumsy five-point turn (and only three damage fence posts), they were back on the road and hopefully going in the right direction.

They were soon back onto the main roads, and the rest of the trip into Surrey went fairly quietly, apart from Peter getting briefly distracted by a field full of sheep ("Fluffy white clouds!"). By the time they were getting into Little Whinging, it was starting to get dark.

As James drove slowly through the town, trying to find his way to the right street, Peter smiled at their passenger, doing his best to seem cheerful after the long car ride. "I hope the house that Dumbledore found for you is nice, Arabella."

"I expect it will be good enough, at least." She shrugged, watching out the window. "Better, once my dear kitties are there. I find cats do wonders for making a place feel like home."

Peter shuddered, but offered no explanation as to why.

The car pulled up outside a small house, almost indistinguishable from the others in the row. As the car came to a stop, it back-fired one last time for good measure. James pulled a note from his pocket, checking the address against the number on the house's letterbox, then nodded. "This is the place."

Peter climbed out of the car, his wand hidden inside his jacket pocket but firmly in his grip, just in case. He stepped towards the house, looking about cautiously as he went. A brief search through his pockets produced a key, and the key produced an open front door. He opened the door, which creaked quietly, then stepped inside.

From outside, all they could see was a light slowly make its way past the various windows inside the house, as Peter checked for any unexpected guests. After a few minutes, he reappeared at the door, and gestured for them to come inside.

* * *

The next evening, the car pulled up outside the house again. This time, only Peter stepped out, and tried to seem as calm and ordinary as he could. He knocked on the door, and as Mrs. Figg opened it, she gasped at the sight of his face and arms covered in cat scratch marks. He smiled at her, weakly. "Delivery, ma'am."


	2. Peter and Sirius

Late at night, and the darkened streets were quiet. It seemed like the whole world had gone to bed, and just for now, it was peaceful. In the distance, a barking dog broke the silence, but here, there was only the quiet crunch of footsteps coming along the road just as the fog started to thicken and the distant buildings faded from view.

Two figures, dressed all in black, and each carrying a large bag over one shoulder, were making their way towards the centre of town. The shorter of the two kept looking behind them, seemingly worried that they might be being followed.

"Relax, Wormtail, we'll be fine." The taller one grinned, and as if to demonstrate how safe they were, he turned a full pirouette almost without breaking his stride.

Peter shrugged, shifting the strap of his bag. "I suppose so, I just get worried on these supply runs." He looked up at the sky, the stars starting to fade from view in the fog. "I mean, what if we run into trouble, Padfoot?"

With a playful boop on his friend's nose, Sirius laughed, turning to walk backwards in front of Peter. "Not too far to go now, anyway, and then we can get back to somewhere warm." His bag swung wide as he spun around again.

As they made their way, the street lights started to become fewer, or at least there were wider gaps in between the few lights still working. Combined with the thickening fog, and the buildings gradually getting larger, more commercial, the night seemed to be pressing in on them. Still, at least there was nobody on the street to bother them, or to wonder at Sirius's antics, and still the only noise was their footsteps.

Sirius stopped just outside a butcher's shop, glancing through the window in case there might be anything of interest within. Then, he stepped over to the alley next to the building, and grinned at Peter. "Why don't we just cut through here? It'd knock a bunch of time off the trip."

"I don't know if that's such a good idea..." Peter moved closer, looking down the alleyway. "It's pretty dark in there, we don't know who might be waiting with a surprise. I think we should just keep going the long way."

But he was too late, Sirius was already heading along the darkened path, with its single flickering light. Every few steps, he gave a little skip. Peter sighed, and followed him, though he readied his wand just in case.

Just as Peter was catching up, there was a crashing noise, and the only light in the alley exploded. Sirius ducked low as the broken glass rained down on them, grabbing for his wand, while Peter turned quickly, trying to find where the attack had come from.

At the far end of the alley, and coming towards them quickly, were two wizards, in black cloaks and hoods, with bone-white masks underneath. Death Eaters.

They raised their wands. Peter pulled Sirius towards him, the curse skimming past, missing him by inches. Another curse came in, Sirius's wand flicked upwards. "Protego!"

Peter ducked to the side. Another curse skimmed past his ear. He aimed his wand towards them. "Confringo!"

A bolt of orange fire shot from his wand towards the Death Eaters. They quickly cast a shield charm, and the blasting curse exploded against it. Bricks and rubble fell from the walls to either side.

The Death Eaters stepped forward, sending more curses down the alley. Peter and Sirius responded in kind. Shield charms and counter-curses. Narrow escapes and dodges. Still the Death Eaters stood firm, even as the curses were flying thick and fast.

A jet of fire roared past Peter. He twisted out of the way, but his bag wasn't so lucky. Black smoke poured from it, orange flames started to spread, the bottles inside cracked in the heat. Peter dodged behind Sirius, and tried to put the flames out with a whispered "Aguamenti."

It was no good. The bag was ruined, its contents reduced to shards of glass and ashes. He tugged on Sirius's robe, then started to edge away from the Death Eaters, launching spells down the alleyway as he went.

The pair emerged from the alley, taking cover behind the corners of wall. After the noise of the fight, the night seemed almost eerily quiet. When no pursuit came, Peter looked around the corner carefully.

"They're gone."

Sirius laughed, sitting down against the wall. "Do you suppose they're circling around, or..."

With a shake of his head, Peter replied, "I don't think so. I think they heard we were delivering a package, and it was the real target." He looked at his bag, little more than charred canvas and shattered bottles.

The bag dropped to the ground, with a thump, and Peter smiled at Sirius. "Good thing I had the decoy bag, I guess. Come on, let's get where we're going, and maybe no shortcuts this time."


End file.
